Wednesday, 20th. P.M., Fresh breezes at West by North, and Clear weather. At 6 Tack'd and stood off, North Cape bore South, distant 3 or 4 Miles. At 4 a.m. Tack'd and stood in, Wind at West-North-West a fresh breeze, but at 9 it increased to a Strong Gale with heavy squalls attended with Thunder and Rain, which brought us under our Courses. At 11 it Cleared up and the Wind came to West-South-West; we set the Topsails, double Reef'd and Tack'd and stood to the North-West. At Noon, a Stiff Gale and Clear weather; Latitude observed 34 degrees 14 minutes South. North Cape South-South-West, distant 3 Leagues.
Thursday, 21st. Fresh breezes at South-West and clear weather with a heavy swell first from the West, then from the South-West. At 8 a.m. loosed the 2nd Reef out of the Topsails; at noon clear weather, no land in sight. The North Cape bore South 25 degrees East, distant 24 Leagues. Latitude observed 33 degrees 17 minutes South.
Friday, 22nd. A moderate Gale at South by West and South-South-West and Cloudy weather. At 8 a.m. got up Top Gallant Yards and set the sails. At Noon Latitude observ'd 33 degrees 2 minutes South. Course and distant since Yesterday at Noon is North 69 1/2 West, 37 Miles. The North Cape bore South 39 degrees East, distant 38 Leagues.
Saturday, 23rd. Gentle breezes between the South by West and South-West, and Clear settled weather, with a swell from the South-West. Course and distance sailed since Yesterday at Noon is South 60 degrees East, 30 Miles. Latitude observed 33 degrees 17 minutes South. North Cape South 36 minutes East, distant 27 Leagues.
Sunday, 24th. Light Airs next to a Calm all this 24 Hours. At 7 p.m. saw the land from the Mast head bearing South 1/2 East; at 11 a.m. saw it again bearing South-South-East, distant 8 Leagues. At Noon Latitude observed 33 degrees 48 minutes South.
Monday, 25th. A Gentle breeze at South-East, the weather a little hazey. P.M., stood to the South-West. At 4 the land above mentioned bore South-East by South, distant 4 Leagues. It proves to be a small Island, which we take to be the 3 Kings discover'd by Tasman; there are several Smaller Islands or Rocks lying off the South-West end and one at the North-East end. It lies in the Latitude of 34 degrees 10 minutes South, and Longitude 187 degrees 45 minutes West and West 14 degrees North, 14 or 15 Leagues from the North Cape. At Midnight Tack'd and stood to the North-East until 6 a.m., then Tack'd and stood to the Southward. At Noon the Island of the 3 Kings bore East 8 degrees North, distant 5 or 6 Leagues. Latitude observed 34 degrees 12 minutes South, Longitude in 188 degrees 5 minutes West; variation per Azimuth taken this morning 11 degrees 25 minutes East.
Tuesday, 26th. Moderate breezes, Easterly and hazey weather; standing to the Southward close upon a wind. At Noon was in the Latitude of 35 degrees 10 minutes South and Longitude 188 degrees 20 minutes West. The island of the 3 Kings North 26 degrees West, distant 22 Leagues. In this situation had no land in sight, and yet by observation we are in the Latitude of the Bay of Islands, and by my reckoning but 30 Leagues to the Westward of the North Cape, from whence it appears that the Northern part of this land must be very narrow, otherwise we must have seen some part of the West side of it.
Wednesday, 27th. Winds at East. P.M., a fresh Gale, with which we stood to the Southward until 12 at Night, then Tack'd and Stood to the Northward. At 4 a.m. the wind began to freshen, and increased in such a manner that at 9 we were obliged to bring the Ship too under her Mainsail, it blowing at this time excessive hard with heavy Squalls attended with rain, and at the same time thick hazey weather. Course made good since Yesterday at Noon South-South-West 1/2 West, distance 11 Miles. Latitude in 35 degrees 19 minutes South, Longitude in 188 degrees 29 minutes West. The Island of the 3 Kings, North 27 degrees East, distant 77 Miles.
[Off North End of New Zealand.]
Thursday, 28th. The Gale continued without the least intermission until 2 a.m., when the wind fell a little and began to veer to the Southward and to the South-West where it fixed at 4, and we made Sail and steer'd East in for the Land under the Foresail and Mainsail, but was soon obliged to take in the latter as it began to blow very hard and increased in such a manner that by 8 o'Clock it was a meer Hurricane attended with rain and the Sea run prodidgious high. At this time we wore the Ship, hauld up the Topsail, and brought her too with her head to the North-West under a Reefed Mainsail, but this was scarcely done before the Main Tack gave way and we were glad to take in the Mainsail and lay too under the Mizen staysail and Ballanced Mizen, after which we reefd the Foresail and furl'd both it and the Mainsail. At Noon the Gale was a little abated, but had still heavy squalls attended with rain. Our Course made good to-day is North, a little Easterly, 29 miles; Latitude in per Account 34 degrees 50 minutes South; Longitude in 188 degrees 27 minutes West; the 3 Kings North 41 East; distant 52 Miles.